Elden Ring Returns With Gameplay And A Release Date

After two years of silence following its announcement, Elden Ring has finally made its grand return. As the closer for Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live event, the new trailer gave us gameplay of From Software’s highly anticipated title and a January 21, 2022 release date.

The trailer showed off some of the different locales and enemies that players will be going up against, while also teasing the game’s story some. Combat is what you would expect from a Souls game, but it appears to be taking inspiration from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in regards to how stealth plays a role in combat. Players have access to a horse as a mount for traveling through the world, something that will certainly come in handy since the world of Elden Ring is much larger than anything From Software has made before. Magical abilities were also revealed in the trailer as well, with the player’s sword becoming covered in blue light and their horse being mystical.

Going to the game’s website reveals more information about the experience that’s in store for fans. Taking place in a realm called The Lands Between, players take on the role of a Tarnished, someone that was banished from the realm, with the goal of claiming the Elden Ring and becoming an Elden Lord. Featuring a day/night cycle and a weather system, the world is massive. Everything in the world is seamlessly connected, so exploring The Lands Between is sure to be easier than in past From Software games.

When it launches next year, Elden Ring will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. On both console platforms, a free upgrade will be made available to those who make the jump from last-gen to next-gen, so no double dipping is necessary. I’m not typically a fan of the Souls genre, but I would be lying if I said that this new trailer didn’t get me excited for the game. I’ll have to see more, but I just might be making a journey of my own to claim the Elden Ring next year.